UN human rights chief seeks $500m in 2025

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The UN human rights chief has made a request for $500m in funding for 2025 to help its work investigating human rights abuses internationally, from Syria to Sudan, Arab News reported on January 30th. 

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has been dealing with a severe lack of funding that many believe will be worsened by cuts to US foreign aid by President Donald Trump.

Funding for OHCHR from the US has gone towards tracking human rights breaches in northern Ethiopia following the 2020-2022 civil war as well as peace-making initiatives in Colombia, according to the US Agency for International Development website. 

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The yearly appeal is for donations that are sperate to the UN funds from member state’s fees, which only constitute a fraction of what the office requires. 

In a speech at the UN in Geneva, high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, said to member states: “In 2025, we expect no let-up in major challenges to human rights.”

Turk added: “I am very concerned that if we do not reach our funding targets in 2025, we will leave people … to struggle and possibly fail, without adequate support.”

Turk said any deficit would mean more people will stay in unlawful detention, governments may continue enforcing discriminatory policies, violations may not be documented and human rights advocates may no longer be safeguarded.

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“In short, lives are at stake,” Turk said. He added that in 2024, his office helped to free more than 3000 people in arbitrary detention and provided support to over 10,000 survivors of modern slavery as well as more than 49,000 torture survivors, together with their families.

The European Union endorsed OHCHR’s work during the meeting. 

The human rights office gains around 5% of the regular UN budget, but most of its funding comes through voluntary means, through its yearly appeal. 

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Western countries normally provide the most funding. The US gave $35 million in 2024 or around 15% of the total amount received in 2024. But the office only got around half of the $500 million it was hoping to receive in 2024.

On January 15th, Turk called for western sanctions on Syria to be lifted, The New Arab and agencies reported.  Turk said: “It will be critical to bear in mind the impact sanctions have on the lives of the Syrian people.”

Arab News, The New Arab and agencies

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